540 A MODERN COMEDY
rested. In his cab he mentally rehearsed Sir James
Foskisson in the part of cross-examiner :
" I think, madam, you played Olivia in a production
of ' The Plain Dealer' by the c Ne Plus Ultra ' Play-Pro-
ducing Society ? , . . Would it be correct to say that
the part was that of a modest woman ? . . . Precisely,
And did it contain the following lines ? (Quotation of
nubbly bits.) . . . Did that convey anything to your
mind, madam ? . . . I suppose that you would not say
it was an immoral passage ? . . . No ? Nor calculated
to offend the ears and debase the morals of a decent-
minded audience ? . . . No. In fact, you don't take the
same view of morality that I, or, I venture to think, the
Jury do ? , . . No. The dark scene—you did not remon-
strate with the producer for not omitting that scene ? . . .
Quite. Mr. Curfew, I think, was the producer ? Yes.
Are you on such terms with that gentleman as would have
made a remonstrance easy ? . . . Ah! Now, madam, I
put it to you that throughout 1923 you were seeing this
gentleman nearly every day. . . . Well, say three or four
times a week. And yet you say that you were not on such
terms as would have made it possible for you to represent
to him that no modest young woman should be asked to
play a scene like that. . . . Indeed ! The Jury will form
their own opinion of your answer. You are not a pro-
fessional actress, dependent for your living on doing what
you are told to do ? ... No. And yet you have the face
to come here and ask for substantial damages because of
the allegation in a private letter that you haven't a moral
about you ? . . . Have you ? . . ." And so on, and so
on. Oh ! no. Damages! She wouldn't get a farthing.